Visiting Guatape – A Traveller's Guide

If you’re going to Medellin (and chances are that you will be) then you NEED to make time for a short trip to Guatape. This cute town is the perfect escape from the big city. In this blog, I reveal everything you need to know about visiting Guatape including what to do, if you should spend the night, how to get there, and more! (Updated 2019)

A Complete Travel Guide for Guatape, Colombia

Guatape, Colombia is a unique little town that every tourist should visit. It is the most colorful (literally) place I have ever been! But besides the picturesque streets, the tiny town offers visitors many different things to do and see.
If you’re headed to Medellin then a short trip to Guatape is a must! Regardless of whether you go for a day trip or stay a few nights, this town is sure to put a smile on your face!
But if you only have a short time in Guatape then you may only be able to just scratch the surface of everything this amazing town has to offer – that is unless you plan your time there carefully!
If you are confused as to what to see and do in Guatape and how to get there, you’re not alone. So, here is our guide to visiting Guatape, it should answer all of your questions!

Getting from Medellin to Guatape

By Bus

The journey by public bus from Medellin to Guatape is only 1.5 to 2 hours and costs COP 13,500.
The bus station in Medellin where the bus to Guatape leaves from is called Terminal del Norte. You can get to Terminal del Norte via the metro. The Caribe Metro Station on Line A actually connects with Terminal del Norte so you don’t have to walk much at all.
Uber is also a very affordable option for getting to the Terminal del Norte from anywhere in Medellin.
Once at Terminal del Norte, head to the ticket booths downstairs to buy your ticket. You will see a big sign saying “Guatape”, this is where you buy the bus ticket. If you can’t find the right ticket booth, just ask anyone. There is only one company that regularly goes to Guatape.Buses from Medellin directly to Guatape leave about every 30 minutes.
Before arriving in Guatape the bus driver will ask if anyone wants to be dropped off at El Penol (the big rock) which is ten minutes before arriving in Guatape town. El Penol is a great place to check out, so to save backtracking, it is wise to go to El Penol first directly from the bus. However, if you have lots of luggage then this may not be wise as there are a lot of stairs to climb and nowhere to store your bags while you climb El Penol.
If you have lots of bags and plan on staying in town for a night or two then just get dropped off in town and head to El Penol after (see below for more information on El Penol.)Walking the streets of Guatape, Colombia!

A day trip to Guatape from Medellin vs. Staying the Night

This one is totally up to you! However, if you want to see all of the best things in Guatape in a day trip from Medellin then I highly recommend joining an organized tour. A tour will provide transport and be organized to maximize your time.

We spent one night in Guatape and found it to be the perfect amount of time to see everything without feeling rushed. We left from Medellin in the morning and hiked El Penol in the afternoon. We enjoyed the local festivities that evening and then explored the town some more the next morning before heading back to Medellin.
If you have the time, then I would recommend spending at least one night in Guatape, it is such a cute town and super relaxing!

Where To Stay in Guatape

If you decide to visit Guatape for more than a day, you will need somewhere to stay! A few great accommodation options in Guatape are:

Low Budget:

Lake View Hostel – This cute little hostel is perfect for budget or solo travelers offer dorm beds as well as private rooms. You will get amazing views right from the hostel’s front door!Oak Tree Hostel– Only a 5-minute walk from town is this small locally owned hostel offering affordable private rooms for less than $40 USD. Breakfast is included and the owners make sure everyone feels welcome!

Mid-range Budget:

Hotel Los Recuerdos– Beautiful hotel with a swimming pool and amazing views. You can get rooms with air conditioning and WiFi is available throughout the property. A private double room with breakfast included costs about $100 USD.

High Budget:

San Miguel Campestre Resort– Rooms with gorgeous lake views, a pool and restaurant on site, this is luxury when it comes to Guatape! You have to take a boat to get there as it is located on one of the islands near Guatape! Such a neat experience!

What to do in Guatape, Colombia

Once you get to Guatape there are lots of options for things to do and see. They are:

Climb El Penol

Five minutes out of town is El Penol. This rock weighs a whopping 66 million tonnes and is the 3rd largest monolithic rock in the world. This must be on your list of “what to do in Guatape”!The view from just outside of Guatape!El Penol overlooks a man-made lake caused by the construction of a hydroelectric dam in the area. Filled with small Islands that make for an amazing view, it is said to “be the best view in the world” by locals, however, I can confirm it is not, but the view is still breathtaking and worth a look.View from the top of El Penol

Getting to the top takes 740 steps. In the humid weather, you will definitely work up a sweat! That being said, a trip to Guatape is not complete without a visit to El Penol.The 740 steps.

Getting to El Penol

From the centre of Guatape walk towards the waterfront street Calle 32 and catch any bus heading to Medellin. Simply tell the driver you’re going to El Penol and get on.
This trip will cost COP 2,000 ($0.70 USD) and will save you a 45-minute walk.
To get to the entrance to El Penol from the highway you can either take a tuk-tuk for COP 10,000 or walk, I recommend walking, it’s only 900m!
On the way back, catch the bus from where you were dropped off on the highway. Just flag down any bus heading in the correct direction.You can also take a taxi from Guatape directly to the entrance of El Penol but the price will depend heavily on your negotiation skills. The cheapest we were able to negotiate was COP 30,000 for one-way.

Cost

The entrance fee to El Penol is COP 18,000 – a bit pricey but well worth it. If you take the bus and walk to the entrance the entire day will only cost COP 22,000. There is a shop at the top that is overpriced so take water and maybe a snack.

Play Paintball in Pablo Escobar’s Mansion

If you are curious about the infamous criminal Pablo Escobar then a tour to his mansion and a few games of paintball inside could be for you. We opted to skip this although we have some info from friends.Pablo’s mansion. Photo credit: Mike Mccullough
First of all, of the tour isn’t just paintballing, it’s also a tour about the man himself. For a few hours, you will walk the grounds and find out the real-life story of Pablo Escobar (and not the glorified TV version.) After this, you will play 5 games of paintball with 200 rounds provided, other bullets are available to purchase however I’ve been told they are pricey.

Cost

From Medellin the tours are COP 160,000 and include lunch transport and the paintball, if you are in Guatape the tours start at COP 110,000 and include the same.

Walk the beautiful streets

Guatape is said to be the most colorful town in Colombia and shortly after arriving I could see why. If you’re lucky enough to have a clear sky then the town will light up to the point that you will need sunglasses to look around. Concerned about what to do in Guatape? Just look around and you will be amazed!One of the beautiful streets in Guatape
From the main plaza just begin walking in any direction and keep walking until you get lost, and then walk some more. Take a map with you just in case, but seriously, get lost in its beauty, take a thousand photos (and stop for a coffee every now and then.)This square is amazing and we were lucky enough to enjoy some live music
The benefit of staying a night or two is that you will have plenty of time to just enjoy the town itself, and the great thing about this is that it’s free!

People watch from the Square

If you’re like me and love watching the daily life of others while enjoying a coffee or beer then head to the main square and pick a restaurant or café.
Guatape isn’t like any ordinary town and in the few hours we relaxed, we saw all sorts of characters including a group of cowboys drinking on their horses out the front of a bar before galloping around the square. As the sun went down one man had to be pulled off of his horse as the alcohol took effect and holding on was a little too hard.
Go play some pool in one of the many bars and just enjoy the local craziness, this is a great way to spend the afternoon or night.
There are many great places around the square and coffee and beer is pretty cheap, so enjoy!Beers on horseback, what could go wrong?

Take a cruise on the Lake

This can be done either by boat or kayak, however, due to the lake’s large size, I suggest by boat.
There are a few options, you can take a local guide from Calle 32 or choose a more luxurious option and take a dinner cruise. Either would be great, just be sure to pick a reputable company or a nice boat as only about one month ago nine people died after a boat suffered an explosion and sunk in the lake.Views from the lake. Photo credit: Mike Mccullough

Other useful information

Budget tip – Guatape can be expensive if not done right – so try to eat street food and cook if you’re on a budget. Don’t take many tuk-tuks as they are expensive, walking and local buses are all you need here. Enjoy free activities in Guatape (see above) as spending time in this town is what it’s all about.Notmentioned – Guatape offers a few other activities such as zip lining and bridge jumping, however, the area is not renown for this and these activities can be done elsewhere (such as San Gil) for cheaper.

Where to go next

There are so many amazing places to check out in Colombia, make sure you don’t miss some of my favourites such as:

We also have written a blog all about the best places in Colombia!
I hope this blog has helped you plan your trip from Medellin to Guatape. And please, leave comments if you believe any of the information above has changed or if you just want to let us know what you thought of this post! Hope now you have a long list of “what to do in Guatape!”

2 Replies to “Visiting Guatape – A Traveller's Guide”

Hi, thanks for the detailed post. What is your view on the paint ball recommendation? While I was traveling through Medellin, many of the locals and guides I met were pretty upset about how disrespectful the whole aspect of it is, and I kind of have to agree.

Hey J, good question! To be honest, we thought paintballing sounded fun but were a bit torn as well with the ethics of it, so we didn’t actually do it ourselves (or any other Pablo Escobar related tour for that matter.) Some friends of ours did the paintballing though and loved it! I think it is definitely a personal choice everyone has to make.

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The Faces of Destinationless Travel

We are Dan and Bailey, just your typical thrill-seeking travelers! You will likely find us hiking, scuba diving, catching public transport, or just drinking beer at a hostel. Our motto is "you can't get lost if you don't have a destination" and that's why we call our blog Destinationless Travel! Cheers for joining us on our adventures!